Cowards

Ben and Leo arrived outside the grand entrance of the throne room almost simultaneously, their footsteps echoing faintly in the vast, gilded hallway.

"You?"

"You too?"

They exchanged a pointed look, each raising an eyebrow as they gestured toward one another. In those two simple words, an entire unspoken conversation passed between them, encapsulating the chaotic journey they had endured to reach this very spot.

"Yup." Ben finally nodded, the corner of his mouth twitching into a smirk. Without a moment's hesitation, he raised a booted foot and kicked the towering double doors wide open, the sound reverberating like a cannon shot.

Inside, the throne room was a scene of desperation and defiance. The royal family, dressed in their ornate finery, huddled together behind a shimmering orange barrier—a protective shield conjured by the mage Zephyr. Their expressions betrayed a mixture of fear and disbelief as they clung to their illusion of safety.