Tree of Hundred Hues

"Save you ridicule, your majesty. The house finally fell and in case you haven't notice," he pointed up, "We're trapped"

"Could be worse," he continued his inspection.

He shone the lamp on the walls of the well. Layered bricks stacked from bottom to the top, algae painting its entirety white the bottom was draped with strong willed weeds attempting to reach the sun. Etched on one of the bricks were scripts that none of them had seen before. When he finally placed his hands to get a feel, the book regained its sentience.

It pirouetted above them, glowing brighter each second, mesmerizing both their eyes as they were left in an awe. Without a warning, its light started to pulse, radiating its bright light to the surroundings. The two were familiar to this sight and its nature, but for some reason it's different. There's no hint of anguish and the soul wrenching grief that Nicolas emits, in contrast, it was calming, as if basking the soul with warmth.

With one big blast of light, the scripture on the walls lit up and together with the book, it crumbled as the display finally came to rest. It revealed a passage that filled Nicolas's veins with excitement.

"Are you seeing this? Glowing moss, glowing mushroom. Almost everything is luminescent," he pulled one of the mushrooms and took a closer look.

"I don't think touching it is a good idea, your majesty"

"No one asked you to be here in the first place. You are free to go back if you want"

They kept on venturing deeper and deeper, following the trail of glowing moss that led them to a spring. From then, they followed it up towards the source only to find a wide area. It was filled with trees with purple, blue, red colored leaves. In the middle is a small island, surrounded by a knee-deep moat. One large tree is rooted on the center, its leaves were the collection of colors and hues while the grass under it mysteriously glows as the duo approached.

Hunter was left speechless. Never in his wildest dreams would he thought that there is a place like this under their house, he felt calm as if something is telling him to rest and stay.

Nicolas on the other hand showed his awe by touching almost anything that caught his eye. As he moved closer to the tree, he found a familiar book clutched on its roots. He reached for it and before he knew it, the tree freed the book from its grasp. With a wide smile, he reached for it, only to be halted by a glowing white arrow that came from above.

"How dare you trespass this sacred ground. Leave at once"

"Not so sacred now I think, especially when you've greeted us with violence," he regrouped with Hunter.

"I don't know what trick you used to be here, but someone who has a soul like yours never step in here"

"And what does one's soul have to do with this place"

"You don't have to know. Kill them"

Nicolas was about to ask more when Hunter finally interrupted, "We're greatly outnumbered, your majesty. What should we do"

One after another, six archers appeared on the branches of the tree, ready to draw their bows with one wrong move. The passage they came was blocked by three swordsmen while another three waits for them at the other side of the moat.

Cautiously, Nicolas surveyed the area. There's not that much of an option but an unlit cave pass the three that's waiting for them, "I lost my sword, did you bring yours"

"I left mine at the barracks"

"What a great time for an ambush then. Did they already train you for hand-to-hand combat"

"A little"

"Good luck then, RUN"

Nicolas swiftly picked up the book and attempted to take the arrow but it dissipated, having no other choice, he went for the closest rock he can find and threw it straight to the swordsmen before sprinting.

Crossing the moat with one long jump, they both shoved two of the men to the ground and went for the other passage. Nicolas, who already exhausted his luck, nearly dodges the third man's blade which grazed his cheeks. The archers at the back took this the chance to snipe at him but he managed to move the second time, missing his chest hitting his shoulder.

"I've seen this tactic before," he quickly caught one of the men on a head lock, "You have friends from Algernon right, have you heard from them since?" he provoked them, shielding himself from any attacks as Hunter waited for him at the mouth of the passage.

"You know them?"

"They tried to kill me once. My guess is that they're that same group from years ago," he broke the man's right arm, pushed him, then quickly ran for safety.

The other passage is felt longer than the one that came from, what made matters worse is the lack of illumination. Little to no hint of glowing moss and mushroom is present and even the moss lamp they had earlier excused himself nowhere to be found. Navigating the path became more problematic than dodging the arrows their pursuers kept on sending their way.

With one wrong move, Nicolas fell to the ground.

"Your majesty!," Hunter came to his rescue, dragging him a little more distance. With the help of the same arrow that's forsaking them, he found a boulder for shelter. "Are you hurt? have you been shot?"

"There's nothing more we can do. I— I guess we're gonna die after all," Nicolas laughed, indisposed as he lose the prideful aura he has.

Hunter who's also at the end of his sanity could only watch him turn tail, not sure how to convince him when he himself is losing hope. The prince kept repeating the names Alisa and Arthur as the footsteps of their pursuers kept echoing as they inch closer in closer. It seems like not only his body had collapsed but also his spirit.

In desperation, he kneeled to the ground and slapped him, "Keep a hold of yourself, your majesty, I know you're more capable than this"