"Where am I?" Aurora thought, bewildered by the transformation. The stark contrast between the ruined castle she had seen before and this restored grandeur left her feeling disoriented. The walls, once crumbling and overgrown with ivy, now stood tall and pristine, adorned with intricate tapestries and flickering torches casting dancing shadows on the stone floor.
As she struggled to make sense of her surroundings, the necromancer entered the hall through one of the grand doors. His presence was commanding, cloaked in dark robes that seemed to absorb the light. He moved with a deliberate calmness, yet an ominous cloud of ill temper followed him like a shroud. Behind him marched two skeletal soldiers, their armor polished to a mirror-like shine. The silver plates covered their entire forms, and if not for the unsettling creaking of their bones, Aurora might have mistaken them for living knights.
The necromancer's eyes, cold and calculating, locked onto Aurora with a look of profound disappointment and restrained fury. 'He's furious,' Aurora realized, her heart sinking. 'I'm late.' She dropped her gaze to the floor, feeling a wave of self-reproach wash over her, confused by the depth of her need to please him.
After what felt like an eternity, the necromancer broke the silence with a voice as smooth as silk yet as cold as ice. "You are late, Aurora."
"I-I'm sorry," she stammered, but the necromancer had already turned away.
"You will gather food from the surrounding forests," he instructed, his tone emotionless. "We are expecting visitors soon. The skeletal soldiers will accompany you."
Aurora's throat tightened. She dared not question him, nodding silently as he exited the hall, the heavy doors closing with a foreboding thud, leaving her alone with her eerie escorts.
Outside, the forest was a stark contrast to the castle's eerie stillness. Birds chirped, and small animals rustled in the underbrush, seemingly undisturbed by the presence of the undead soldiers. Aurora moved through the trees, searching for fruit—apples, berries, anything edible—while her thoughts churned. 'Why am I here? I should run, but...' The idea of escaping the necromancer's grasp seemed impossible, even with freedom so tantalizingly close. The skeletal guards, their hollow eyes never leaving her, were a constant reminder of her captivity.
As she reached for a ripe apple, a rustling sound made her freeze. Three lionesses emerged from the shadows, circling her and the skeletal soldiers. Aurora's heart pounded. 'This is it,' she thought, 'but I'm more afraid of him than of them.'
One of the lionesses pounced, but before it could reach Aurora, a skeletal soldier intervened, its sword flashing as it blocked the lioness's powerful jaws. The other two lionesses attacked simultaneously. The second skeleton managed to fend off one with its blade, but the third lioness clamped down on its armored arm, her teeth piercing through the metal. Seizing the distraction, Aurora ran. After running about a hundred meters, her mind racing. 'I can escape now, I can—'
Suddenly, a searing pain erupted from the magical circle on her chest. She fell to the ground, writhing in agony. 'I can't run,' she realized as the pain subsided, leaving her breathless and defeated.
A low growl made her look up. A male lion, larger and more menacing than the lionesses, was approaching, each step deliberate and deadly. Aurora scanned the area frantically, but there was no sign of her skeletal protectors. The lion took advantage of her distraction and lunged. She closed her eyes, bracing for the end, when an arrow whistled through the air, striking the lion in its side. The beast roared in pain and fled, its survival instincts overriding its aggression.
Aurora opened her eyes to see a muscular man emerge from the trees. He wore leather armor reinforced with iron, designed for both protection and agility. His black hair was tousled, and his brown eyes were intense, a scar running across his nose adding to his fierce yet handsome appearance. He carried a bow, with a quiver of arrows slung across his back, and two swords hung at his waist.
"Are you alright?" he asked, his voice deep and concerned. He extended a strong, calloused hand to help her up. "Alan Hosguard, elite knight of the Hosguard knighthood."
Aurora hesitated for a moment, staring at his hand, then took it, feeling his strength as he pulled her to her feet. "Aurora Rothchalden," she said softly.
After this, Aurora began to observe the man in front of her. The first thing she noticed was how different he was from the necromancer. Despite also presenting a powerful aura, his words carried a gentleness she hadn't felt since waking up in the castle. The man saw her observing him with approving eyes and gave a slight smile, cutting through her thoughts.
"Why is a lovely lady like yourself wandering so deep in this magical and dangerous forest alone?" Alan asked, his voice calm and soothing.
Aurora hesitated, her mind racing. 'Should I tell him about the necromancer?' she wondered. "Actually, I'm not alone," she started, planning to explain, but just then, the skeletal soldiers reappeared, each carrying the carcass of a lioness. One skeleton was missing an arm.
Alan's expression shifted from gentleness to ferocity, ready for battle. He put away his bow and drew his swords. The skeletons, seeing this, dropped the lioness carcasses and drew their own weapons.
"Stop!" Aurora shouted, stepping between them. "They're with me."
Alan's eyes flickered with confusion and seriousness as he processed her words. 'With her? What does she mean?' he thought. But before he could ask, the skeletons lunged at him, their bony hands aiming for his vital points.
Alan parried the attacks with fluid grace, his swords clashing against the skeletons' blades. Deciding to disengage, he kicked the one-armed skeleton away, sending it crashing into a tree. With a swift motion, he sliced off the arm of the second skeleton, leaving it defenseless.
Aurora watched in awe as Alan dispatched the skeletons with ease, his movements calculated and precise. He seemed to be merely defending himself, though there was an underlying bitterness in his actions. As he stepped back, the realization dawned on her: to him, the skeletons appeared to be her protectors, perhaps even her minions.
Alan's eyes returned to her, filled with a mix of anger and curiosity. "I hate necromancy," Alan spat, the words dripping with loathing. "It corrupts everything it touches."
With that, he turned and walked away, his back disappearing into the depths of the forest. Aurora felt a pang of regret. 'He doesn't understand,' she thought. 'He doesn't know what I'm going through.'
The skeletal soldiers, now missing limbs, reformed around Aurora, their presence a reminder of her predicament. 'This misunderstanding has made everything more complicated,' she thought, feeling a heavy weight settle in her chest. Watching Alan disappear, she felt a mix of frustration and sadness.
'Perhaps it's better this way,' she reasoned. 'He doesn't need to get involved with the necromancer. No one should.' Despite Alan's formidable presence and evident skill, Aurora knew that the necromancer's power far surpassed his. 'Alan might be strong, but he's no match for the necromancer,' she thought, feeling a heavy weight settle in her chest.
She turned her attention back to the fallen fruits scattered on the ground. Bending down, she began to gather them, her movements slow and deliberate. The carcasses of the lionesses lay nearby, and as she glanced at them, tears welled up in her eyes. 'Poor creatures,' she thought, feeling a deep sense of pity. 'If it weren't for them, it would have been me.'
Wiping her tears, Aurora continued to collect the fruits, preparing herself for the inevitable return to the castle.