Chapter – The Mysterious Gate and the Fortress of Darkness
Jon and Victor strained their minds, trying to decipher the meaning of the riddle. The bubbling lava was rising higher, and their breathing grew faster with anxiety.
Jon muttered the riddle under his breath,
"I am not real, yet you can feel me. I can mislead you between truth and illusion."
Victor, panicked, said, "My mind isn't working! That tree tricked us! It led us the wrong way!"
Jon tried to calm him down, "Getting angry won't help now. I think I understand the riddle."
Victor shouted in desperation, "Then answer quickly, or the lava will consume us!"
Jon hesitated for a moment before saying, "I think the answer might be 'dream'."
Victor asked doubtfully, "How sure are you?"
Jon took a deep breath, "Almost certain... but give me a moment to think."
Just then, a deep voice echoed from the statue,
"Your answer is correct."
Jon and Victor turned to look at the massive stone door, which began to glow with ancient inscriptions. Slowly, the door creaked open, revealing a dark passage beyond. But at the same time, the entire platform trembled violently, as if something disastrous was about to happen.
Jon and Victor exchanged glances, then sprinted towards the opening without hesitation. As soon as they crossed through, everything behind them vanished into darkness.
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The Hidden Fortress in the Dark
Jon and Victor found themselves standing on a high balcony-like corridor within a massive fortress. As far as the eye could see, black stone buildings stretched into the distance, forming a vast labyrinth of ancient ruins.
Night was falling, and without any light, the fortress looked even more terrifying. The air was cold, yet an eerie silence surrounded them, as if something was watching them from the shadows.
Jon gazed at the dark, crumbling walls of the fortress and muttered,
"Out of the frying pan, into the fire."
Victor heard his words but said nothing. His eyes were fixed on a shadowy hallway ahead, from where a faint but unsettling rustling sound was emerging…
Jon suggested, "Instead of venturing deeper into the fortress, we should stay here for the night."
Victor smirked, raising an eyebrow. "You really think we should just ignore the eerie sounds echoing through this place and sleep here?"
Jon shook his head. "No, sleeping here would be like inviting death itself. This fortress is a nest of dark forces. Lying down to rest in a place like this would be foolish."
Victor sighed, "Then we have no choice but to stay awake all night."
Jon, now more serious, said, "We can keep talking. It'll keep our minds engaged and prevent sleep from creeping in."
Victor nodded. "Alright then. Let's start with this—back at the pool, when you were trapped in that illusion, what did you see?"
Jon hesitated for a moment, unsure of how to respond. But as realization struck, he understood what Victor was really asking. His face grew somber as he replied, "I saw my past. I saw my family… my mother, my younger siblings. They called out to me as if I had never left them."
Victor noticed the distant look in Jon's eyes and decided not to press further. Instead, he smirked slightly and turned the question back to himself.
Jon noticed his expression and, with curiosity, asked, "And you? What did you see?"
Victor remained silent for a moment before looking at Jon with a shy smile.
Jon immediately understood. "It was Alina, wasn't it?"
Victor didn't answer, but the way he looked away with a faint smile said everything.
Jon, intrigued, pressed further, "Come on, tell me… what exactly did you see?"
Victor sighed, leaning against the fortress wall as the cold night air whispered around them.
Beyond the stone corridor, the rustling sound in the darkness grew slightly louder…
Victor smiled and said, "When I was on the bridge, my eyes suddenly closed. I tried my best to open them, and when my vision cleared, I saw myself lying beside someone..."
His heart was pounding. Slowly, he turned his gaze toward the person next to him—it was Alina.
Victor's Memory...
Alina sat on the bed, adjusting her clothes, and looked at Jon. There was a hint of hesitation in her eyes, but her face showed determination.
"We should seek permission from King Vignesh for our marriage," she said in a calm but firm tone.
Victor took her hand in his and, with a playful smile, said, "Why not? Let's go right now!"
Both of them laughed and got up from the bed. Victor quickly fixed his clothes, and together, they headed toward King Vignesh's palace.
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King Vignesh's Palace
As they reached the grand gates of the palace, the guards stepped aside. Upon entering, they saw King Vignesh seated on his throne.
Alina knelt down and respectfully said, "Your Majesty, Victor and I wish to get married. If we have your blessing..."
King Vignesh looked at them with a gentle smile and said, "This is wonderful news! Victor, you and Alina shall be married. I will order the preparations to begin immediately!"
Victor and Alina were overjoyed. They left the palace and returned home.
That night, Victor excitedly said, "I should invite my relatives too."
Thinking deeply, he looked at Alina and asked, "Where could Jon be? He must attend my wedding."
He lost himself in thought. Just then, Alina embraced him from behind. Smiling, Victor held her close. At that moment, they forgot the entire world and drowned in each other's presence.
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Wedding Day – In the Temple of Angels
Victor and Alina's wedding was held in a grand ceremony at the Temple of Angels.
Victor was happy, but there was an emptiness in his heart—Jon had not come to his wedding.
Feeling disappointed, he wondered, "When was the last time I met Jon?"
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Realization of the Truth
Suddenly, as if a veil had been lifted from his memories, Victor started recalling everything—
"I was with Jon, solving the riddle... We were moving forward inside the fortress..."
"This was all an illusion!"
At that moment, Victor's eyes opened. He was falling from the Sky City. As his body plummeted, his real eyes opened in the present.
---
Back to Reality
He found himself back near the cold stone walls of the fortress. Jon stood in front of him, curiosity in his eyes.
After a moment of silence, Victor and Jon looked at each other and burst into loud laughter.
Their laughter echoed through the deep, mysterious fortress walls.