Paltio fell from the fourth floor to the third, but before he could even attempt to stand, the tree followed him in his descent, dragging him along with it. With each impact, the floor beneath his feet shattered, hurling him down to the next level in an endless cascade of chaos and pain. Paltio had no chance to recover; the tree seemed to have a life of its own, pursuing him as if determined to crush him entirely.
Meanwhile, Milko floated beside him, continuing his countdown with a mocking grin: "20, 19…"
By the time Paltio reached the first floor, he was battered, his body bruised and utterly spent. He tried to rise, but his muscles barely responded. In the distance, he saw Eveldow and the others watching him. "I can… I must save my friends," he muttered through clenched teeth, fighting against exhaustion.
Milko kept counting mercilessly: "10, 9…"
"Paltio, you can do it, sir!" called out Mok from afar, his voice brimming with encouragement, though he couldn't intervene directly. He knew that if he did, Eveldow would invalidate the deal.
"Come on, you can do it, get up!" exclaimed Galatea, her tone laced with urgency.
"One last effort, boy," echoed Golden's voice in his mind, firm yet supportive.
With what little strength he had left, Paltio managed to stand, swaying like a newborn fawn. He could hear Milko's countdown drawing perilously close to its end: "5, 4…"
He tried to run, but his body wouldn't cooperate. Instead, he stumbled forward in clumsy leaps, lifting his feet as though caught in a desperate race. When he finally reached Eveldow, time had run out.
"I'm so sorry, princeling, but time is time," said Eveldow with feigned politeness, his kindly smile contrasting sharply with the malicious glint in his eyes. "The deal was that you gave me the leaf, and you didn't."
"That's right," replied Paltio, gasping for breath, pain etched into every word, but something in his expression made Eveldow pause.
"And what is that you're wearing?" asked Paltio, pointing at the royal belt tied around Eveldow's waist. It was a solid belt, not spectral, and somehow, during his fall, Paltio had managed to hang the leaf there.
"How did you do it, you cursed child?! You must have cheated!" roared Eveldow, transforming abruptly. His gentle appearance vanished, revealing a demonic visage, his eyes blazing with fury.
"Hey now! The boy did it fairly," interjected Mok firmly. "Without help, just as you yourself stated."
"It's true, sir," added Milko, surprising everyone. "I don't know how he did it, but he arrived before I finished counting to one. You've always been a man of your word."
The other heads began to murmur among themselves, some nodding in agreement. Eveldow, visibly irritated but trapped by his own code of honor, finally relented. "Fine, he can pass," he growled, releasing Paltio's friends from the tube.
Ron emerged spitting sand, shaking himself like a wet dog. "You did it, buddy!" he exclaimed, trying to hug Paltio, but the latter stopped him with a weak gesture.
"Easy there, easy," said Paltio with a grimace of pain. "I think I've broken every bone in my body… or at least that's how it feels."
"Hey! Paltio, why don't you use the sphere to heal yourself? You know, Ulimeo," suggested Pax, pointing to the prince's magical pouch.
"That's right!" exclaimed Paltio, suddenly remembering. He pulled the sphere from his bag and activated it. A warm glow enveloped him as the wounds on his body began to heal. The bruises vanished, and his muscles regained their normal movement. Within seconds, Paltio was back on his feet, ready to face whatever came next.
"Hey! Why did you ask that of the boy?" asked Pax, looking at Eveldow curiously.
"Well, because we specters can't touch that tree," explained Eveldow, his tone now more reflective. "There's something about it that repels us. But after seeing what happened to the prince, I thought maybe he could handle it without issue." He paused before adding, "We can grab anything and even possess it, but that specific tree… it's different."
Eveldow observed Paltio. "I believe my suspicions were correct," he muttered, almost to himself.
Mok stared at him intently, as if expecting more. "Yes, yes, whatever," said Eveldow, waving a hand impatiently. Then he called out to Paltio: "Well, you're free to inspect my facilities—or rather, what's left of this place—and look for your missing piece."
"Thanks, but I already know where it is," replied the boy with a confident smile. He approached the spot where the tree had fallen and began digging among its roots. Finally, he extracted a glowing piece that seemed to pulse with a life of its own.
"Ah! It's Tropalia," noted Golden upon seeing it, his voice resonating with awe in Paltio's mind.
"Is this the piece you said shows knowledge of the past, immediate present, and future?" asked Paltio, turning toward Golden.
"Yes, that very one. I'm surprised you retained that information," responded Golden, his tone a mix of admiration and amusement.
"You're an enigma sometimes, Paltio," commented Alita, crossing her arms as she looked at him with a blend of pride and curiosity.
"That's our Paltio," added Ron, enthusiastically patting him on the back.
"That's why I felt drawn to consult this piece," reflected Paltio aloud. "And being in that old tree, almost all trunk with just a few leaves, not even ghosts could touch it. Interesting."
"Well, since you've found your piece, you can leave my place. I have things to do," indicated Eveldow, making a dismissive gesture with his hand as if eager to be rid of them quickly.
"Well, boy, you can see the guests outside," he said to Milko.
"Hey, Eveldow!" exclaimed Paltio before they could leave. "We might need your help in the future. That's what I saw in this piece of the scepter."
"Will you help us with the Shadow enemies?" asked Paltio, his tone hopeful.
"I don't know," replied Eveldow with a snort. "Besides, you already have one by your side. Do you want me to take care of that one too?" His tone was sarcastic, but there was a flicker of interest in his eyes.
"Please!" begged Paltio, widening his eyes so much they resembled those of a pleading puppy.
"I'll think about it," responded Eveldow after a long pause. "But for now, I'm tired. I'm going to rest for a while. I hope no one else comes to disturb my quarters."
Everyone began to leave when, just before reaching the door, Milko shifted his floating form into that of a small child. It was a startling transformation: his childish face bore a friendly expression that contrasted sharply with his earlier demeanor.
"It was nice having guests," said Milko with a mischievous smile. "Come back soon, and Paltio, good luck on your journey."
"I didn't know you could do that," commented Paltio, looking at the ghostly child in astonishment.
"Of course I can, but not near the boss," explained Milko with a wink. "Well then, do you want to be my friend, Paltio? I had a blast with you."
"Why not? You'll be my ghost friend," replied Paltio with a sincere smile.
"Yes, awesome!" exclaimed Milko, doing a somersault in the air before vanishing into a cloud of mist.
They all exited and returned to the path, walking in silence for a few minutes until they reached where they had left their horses and carriages. The fresh afternoon air mingled with the scent of damp grass, a comforting contrast to the intensity of the confrontation with Eveldow.
Just as they were about to depart, Galatea broke the silence. "How did you do it?" she asked, looking at Paltio curiously. "I didn't know you were that fast."
"Actually, I didn't do it," replied Paltio, scratching the back of his neck with a shy smile.
"What?!" everyone exclaimed in unison, surprised.
"Yeah, actually, we cheated a little," admitted the prince with a shrug.
"How so?" the others asked, leaning closer as if afraid of missing some crucial detail.
"Well… I couldn't reach him, and I was in pain, remember?" explained Paltio, gesturing to his body as if he still felt the bruises. "So Golden sent Toco-Toco for a few seconds to place the leaf on Eveldow's belt. He saw it was real, not spectral, and besides, Eveldow was already gloating about how he'd won. We couldn't let that happen."
"Wow! That was brilliant, but unfair, sir," commented Mok, crossing his arms with an ironic smile.
"I know," admitted Paltio, lowering his gaze. "But I'd do it again if it meant saving my friends or anyone in danger, no matter the cost."
Mok patted him on the shoulder and whispered in his ear: "I know, sir."
"Thank you, Paltio," said Alita and Ron almost simultaneously, their voices brimming with gratitude.
Ron added with a mischievous smile: "But next time, do it faster. I almost suffocated with all that sand."
Everyone burst into laughter at Ron's comment, the shared relief dissolving any lingering tension.
"Who would've thought the good guys cheat sometimes," muttered Pax, chuckling to himself as he spoke aloud. "What kind of team have I gotten myself into… Maybe they can help me with my crusade."
Once the conversation ended, everyone climbed into the carriage while Galatea and her daughters mounted their horses. The journey back to the castle was peaceful, accompanied by the rhythmic sound of horse hooves against the ground and the gentle creaking of the carriage wheels.
Upon arrival, the villagers were already waiting to greet them with a warm welcome. A feast had been prepared in honor of Paltio and his friends for liberating Fuertelia from the badger Troba. The tables were laden with steaming dishes, and the air was filled with the aroma of freshly baked bread and roasted meat.
Paltio wanted to leave soon; he felt there was no time to waste. But Mok stopped him with a firm hand on his shoulder.
"Sometimes you must pause and appreciate the small, good moments, sir," Mok said seriously, though his tone remained kind. "We can't always run without looking back."
Paltio nodded slowly, understanding the message. He stayed a little longer, enjoying the company and the villagers' joy, though his mind remained focused on the mission ahead.
Once the celebration ended, everyone retired to rest. Though the world was cloaked in perpetual darkness, with only the moon and a few faint stars visible in the sky, the wristwatch-bracelet Tejod had given Paltio marked the passage of time. It was the only way to know another day had passed.
The next morning, they organized everything needed for the journey. Before departing, Galatea approached them and handed Paltio a small conch shell, similar to the pin she had given him in Hassdalia.
"This will allow you to communicate with me in case of an emergency," explained Galatea, her voice soft but firm. "Don't hesitate to use it if you need help."
With a final farewell, they set off toward the outskirts of the realm. From a distance, the inhabitants of Fuertelia gave them a warm send-off, waving their hands and shouting words of encouragement.
The group set off toward their next destination: the realm of Bacadolia. Though the road ahead seemed uncertain, they moved forward with determination, knowing that each step brought them closer to their goal.
There were 22 days left before the pact with Tejod would come to an end.